Teaching English Volunteer Program at Local Primary School: (Minimum 4 Weeks +)

The best way to fight poverty and the key to a child’s success is always through education. We offer children a safe environment, with support, supervision, socialization and education in a range of subjects, including basic math and English. English being the official language of Uganda, we are always looking out for volunteers who can join our schools.

Beacon of Hope Uganda offers teaching English volunteer program in Uganda at our local primary schools. This is an enriching and satisfying experience where volunteers get the opportunity to teach children who are eager to improve their conversational English skills.

Our teaching English volunteer program in Uganda increases education standards in the schools we run and teach life skills that will help and empower children to make sustainable improvements within their local communities. Beacon of Hope Uganda operates primary schools in needy communities in Uganda.

Volunteers work primarily as instructors of English in our village primary schools around the country. Volunteers may also be asked to assist in other school activities such as sports and other extra-curricular activities. The program consists of teaching the subject of English to school children for 2 to 4 lessons of a day, with each period running for 45 minutes.

Volunteers will be required to teach 5 days a week. Saturday and Sunday are days off for volunteers to enjoy some free time and there are occasional public holidays during the school term. Depending on school size, class numbers vary from 15-60 in a class.

Your help and assistance will be greatly appreciated at the school and it will be a refreshing change to existing curriculum. All our schools are rural based and deserve long term planned development program. They are located in communities that have limited resources, both infrastructure and staff.

Volunteers can take up projects depending on the needs of the school. Volunteers can do a combination of both teaching and renovation/building work. If you’re a native English speaker or with some teaching experience, you can be a valuable resource in the classrooms.

A local teacher will assist you in conducting classes during your first week to address any language barriers or concerns that may arise. You will be asked to run the class once the children become familiar with you. Volunteers shouldn’t be concerned about what to teach, as all schools in Uganda follow a curriculum that can be implicated in teaching.

However, if one is confident enough, volunteers are more than welcome to apply their own teaching blueprint. If you have additional skills in extra-curricular activities such as: teaching games, music, painting, singing, dancing, yoga, martial arts etc, then you are most welcome to incorporate this into the teaching English program.

Duration:

While the benefits of volunteering for any length of time are invaluable, BoHU strongly believes in ethical volunteering principals, especially when it comes with working with children. We hate “child voluntourism” and honestly it takes days to adjust to new environment and teaching methodologies. In that case we prefer volunteers who can commit at least 4 weeks of dedicated work, if you are directly working with children.

Schedule:

Volunteers work Monday through Friday. Every weekday morning, breakfast is served from 7:30 AM to 8:30 AM, and at 9:00 AM on Saturday. The workday generally finishes around 4pm and dinner is served from 7pm-9pm.

As a volunteer you will be:

Teaching and tutoring children in English, geography, social studies and Maths.

Developing a creative environment for children through crafts, games and sports.

Assisting with creating low-cost teaching materials.

Sharing teaching methodology with local school teachers

Program Requirements:

Volunteers must be:

Willing to work with children.

At least 18 years or older at the start of the program.

Have an open mind and flexible attitude towards working in new and different environments.

Prepared to do some manual work in their placement.

We welcome both male and female volunteers and we can accommodate individuals, families and groups.

What do we provide?

Airport Pickup/ Transportation:

Volunteers are picked up from the Entebbe International Airport by an appropriate BoHU representative.

Volunteers who will already be in Uganda will be met by a staff member at a pre-arranged location.

For volunteers arriving by bus from neighboring countries, meet and pickup will be arranged at agreed bus stop.

Orientation Day in Uganda:

All volunteers are provided with an orientation covering topics such as safety and security, transportation, language, local culture, project details, staff as well as a one day guided city/community tour.

Accommodation:

Volunteers are provided accommodation in a volunteer house or in a homestay accommodation managed by the local coordinating team. The accommodations are neat and clean. Accommodation is shared amongst volunteers on the ‘same gender sharing’ basis rooms. Wifi internet, warm water is not guaranteed. ( private room can be provided by prior arrangement.)

The homes are close to useful amenities like banks, ATM’s, currency exchanges, restaurants, cafes and shopping places. All placements are around 10 – 30 minutes from the accommodation. Over the weekends or evenings, participants are free to eat out and explore the different delights that Uganda has to offer.

Some volunteers are also provided accommodation in the project premises itself. For example – Volunteers working in orphanage project can be provided accommodation in the project premises itself in a separate room that is allotted for volunteers.

Food:

Three meals a day (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner) are provided to the participants from Monday – Sunday. Breakfast served is hearty and well balanced. It includes tea and coffee, bread, jam, fruit and a main dish, depending on the wish to prepare that day (Ex. eggs, bacon, pancakes, French toast, cereal, porridge, etc.).

Lunch is typically the main meal of the day in Uganda and volunteers will often eat their meals on-site, prepared by local families or community members. If not, Project Leaders will bring volunteers to a local restaurant, which will offer several traditional options. A typical Ugandan lunch features beef, chicken or fish coupled with potatoes, rice or beans (usually rice).

Dinners at BoHU volunteer program offer a vegetarian and non-vegetarian option each night.

Always be wary of street vendors’ food, which is more susceptible to contamination, undercooked meat and raw fruits or vegetables. DO NOT drink water straight from the tap. Brushing your teeth with it is usually fine, but, for personal consumption, be sure to buy bottled water from a store or boil tap water before drinking (though the later is far less practical).

Project Location:

The project placements are located across Uganda, and you will be placed according to your interests and chosen program. Program regions include: Central, East, North and Western regions of Uganda. Regardless of where you are placed, you will be placed in a program run by Beacon of Hope Uganda.

Languages:

It is essential that volunteers are able to speak English.

In-country support:

24 hour support is provided by our staff members. Once you arrive in the country you are in the care of BoHU, so try to follow guidelines, tips and utilize all support provided.

Pre-departure information:

After being accepted into the program, payment of booking and placement deposit all participants are provided with a pre-departure information booklet by e-mail which will contain all the vital information about your program, such as: details of the country, project location, Visa requirements, Immunization requirements, details of accommodation, contact information and suggested packing list.

What you are paying for?

The program fee, placement booking and airport transfer fee is used to provide a professional and welcoming volunteer program, as well as providing some financial support for the project you will be supporting. See fees here

The following are included in the cost:

Pickup from the airport, transport to your placement.

Project donation

Sightseeing guided tour (One day during orientation).

Comprehensive Pre- Departure Information.

24 hrs Assistance and support from BoHU Staff.

2 T-shirts (produced by our youth and women)

Ground Transport

What is not included?

The following costs are NOT included in the above fee and will need to be covered by the volunteer:

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